Koe Wetzel and Jessie Murph’s “High Road” rules Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Jan. 18) for a fourth total and consecutive week. The collaboration drew 32.2 million in audience (down 1%) Jan. 3-9, according to Luminate.
The song became the first Country Airplay No. 1 for both Wetzel, 32, and Murph, 20, in each artist’s initial trip up the tally. It is the first freshman track to reign for four or more weeks since Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which commenced its seven-week command last August, the longest for a breakthrough hit at the format. Overall, only 10 country career-establishing No. 1s have led for four-plus weeks since the list started in 1990 – with “High Road” the first by two acts each charting for the first time.
Wetzel and Murph co-wrote “High Road” with Amy Allen, Carrie K, Josh Serrato, Gabe Simon and Laura Veltz. It’s from Wetzel’s album 9 Lives, which became his fourth top 10 on Top Country Albums when it opened at its No. 5 best last August. It’s also on Murph’s That Ain’t No Man That’s the Devil, which arrived at its No. 24 high on the all-genre Billboard 200 in September.
Meanwhile, Murph, who hails from Huntsville, Ala., is the first woman to dominate Country Airplay for four or more weeks with an introductory hit at the format in almost 19 years. On Jan. 21, 2006, then-reigning American Idol champ Carrie Underwood began a six-week No. 1 stay with her launch single promoted to country radio, “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”
That’s One High ‘Bar’
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” ranks at No. 5 on Country Airplay (22.9 million, down 3%), adding a record-tying 28th week in the top 10. It matches Dustin Lynch’s 2021-22 hit “Thinking ‘Bout You,” featuring MacKenzie Porter, for the longest top 10 run in the chart’s history.
